There is no difference of Nirvana and SamsaraNa Nirvanasya samsarat kimdasti visesanam, Na samsarasy Nirvanat kimcidasti visesanam

Nirvana and SamsaraIn Buddhism mostly talked the crossing over samsara and attaining to Nirvana. This has given the meaning of freedom from samsara to achieve Nirvana. This again gives the understanding Nirvana is different from samsara and is

Nirvana and SamsaraSamsara is different from Nirvana. Nirvana is getting away from samsara and as there is a path to Niravana people thought one has to walk up to Nirvana. In the Visuddhimagga it is said Maggamatthi gamako na vijjati

Nirvana and SamsaraOnly the Path is there not a person who walks on that Path This implies that there is a walking only, not a person who walks. And again implies that there should be going towards Nirvana. In the Rohitassa Sutta

Nirvana and SamsaraAnguttara Nikaya mentions through journey Nirvana will not be achieved. In the same way in the Pathaligama Vagga of Udana Pali mentions:Atthi Bhikkhave tadayatanam, yattha neva pathavi, na Apo na

Nirvana and SamsaraNa tejo, na vayo, na akasanancayatanam, na vinna- ncayatanam, na akincayatanam na neasannanasannayatanam, na ayam loko, na paro loko, na ubho candima suriya, tatrapham bhikkahve na agatim vadami, na gatim, na thitm, na cutim, na

Nirvana and SamsaraUpapttim, appatittham, anaram-manamevetam, esevanto dukkh-smati vadami(Monks there is such a position that is not earth element, not element of cohesion, not element of heat, not element

Nirvana and SamsaraOf motion, Not Akasanancayatana, na vinnana- ncayatana, na akincannayatan, na nevasannanasannayatana, no this world, no another world, no the two- moon and sun, monks I say there is no coming from there, there is no going towards

Nirvana and SamsaraThat, there is no stability, there is no vanishing, there is no birth, there is no footing, there is no object, I say this is only the end of suffering.In the chapter of Nirvana Pariksa Arya Nagarjuna made an statement saying There is

Nirvana and SamsaraNo difference between Samsara and Nirvana and Nirvana and Samsara. This has provoked a so many because everybody thought Nirvana is different from samsara. Therefore this is misunderstood by so many.

Samsara and NirvanaIn order to find out what Arya Nagarjuna has said we have to read care fully this Karika Nirvana Pariksa.1. Yadi sunyamidam sarvam Udayo nasti na vyayah Prahanad va nirodhad va Kasya nirvanam isyate

Nirvana and Samsara(If all this is empty, there exists neither arising nor ceasing. (As such) through the relinquishing and ceasing of what does one expect Nirvana?). It says if everything is sunya, there is no arising and ceasing. Then how one can expect Nirvana through prahana and Nirodha.

Samsara and Nirvana2.Yadi asunyam idam sarvam Udayo nasti navyayah Prahanad va nirodhat va Kasya Nirvanam isyate (If all this is non-empty, there exists neither arising nor ceasing. (As such) through

Nirvana and SamsaraRelinquishing and ceasing of what does one expect Nirvana?).It says if everything is Asunyathere will be no origination and cessation. (As such) through removing and ceasing of what one expect Nirvana?

Nirvana and Samsara3.Aprahianam asampraptam Anucchinnam asasvatam Aniruddham anutpannam Etan nirvanam ucyate(Not removed, not reached, un- annihilated, non-eternal, non-ceased and non-arisen This is called Nirvana).

Nirvana and Samsara4. Bhavas tavan na nirvanam Jaramarana laksanam Prasajyetasti bhavo hi Na jara-maranam vina (Nirvana is not an existant. If it were to exist, then it has characteristics of decay and death. Therefore there is no bhavah without Jara-marana).

Nirvana and Samsara5. Bhavs ca yadi Nirvanam Nirvanam samskrtam bhavet Nasamkrto hi vidyate Bhavah kvacana kascana ( If Nirvana were to be existence, then Nirvana would be conditioned. Yet, an existence that is unconditioned is not evident anywhere) Here it is mentioned that conditioned or unconditioned Nirvana is not evident enywhere.

Nirvana and Samsara6. Bhavs ca yadi nirvanam Anupadaya tat katha Nirvanam nanupadaya Kascid bhavo hi vidyate (Furthermore, if Nirvana were to be existence, how can that Nirvana be independent? If

Nirvana and SamsaraIf Nirvana is not independent is that kind of existence evident?Here rejects independent nature of Nirvana. Then in the next stanza (7) rejects the existence (Bhava) and non- existence (Abhava) nature of Nirvana.

Nirvana and Samsara7. Yadi bhavo na Nirvanam Abhavah kim bhavisyati Nirvanam yatra bhavo na Nabhavas tatra vidyate (If Nirvana is not existence(Na Bhavo), will Nirvana be non-existence (abhavah)? Wherein there is no existence, therein non-existence is not evident (Na vidyate))

Nirvana and SamsaraIf Nirvana is not a Bhava, then will Nirvana be Abhava? If anywhere is not a Bhava, abhava also not evident.8. Yady abhavas ca Nirvanam Anupadaya tat katam Nirvanam na hy abhavo asti Yonupadaya vidyate.

Nirvana and Samsara(If Nirvana is non-existence, how can Nirvana be independent? For there exists no non-existence which evidently is independent.) If Nirvana is Abhava how can it isDevoid of dependency? There cannot be Abhava which is devoid of characteristics of dependency.

Nirvana and Samsara9. Ya ajavamjavibhava Upadaya pratitya va Sopratityanupadaya Nirvanamupadisyate(Whatever is of the nature of coming and going (birth and death) that occurs contingently or dependently. Nirvana is therefore indicated as being non contingent and non-independent).

Nirvana and SamsaraIf anything has the nature of coming and going, birth and death, rising and falling that has the characteristics of dependently origination. Nirvana is devoid of characteristics of dependtly origination.

Nirvana and Samsara10. Prahanam cabravic chasta Bhavasya vibhavasya ca Tasman na bhavo nabhavo Nirvanam iti yujyate.(The teacher has spoken of relin-quishing (Removal) both becoming and non-becoming. Therefore it is proper to assume that Nirvana is neither existence and nor non-existence)

Nirvana and SamsaraThe Buddha has taught removal of both Bhava and Vibhava. Therefore Nirvana has to be accepted as neither Bhava and Abhava. In the next sloka it is said that if nirvana were to be both Bhava Abhava moksa also will be the Same. Bhava and Abhava.

Nirvana and Samsara

11.Bhaved abhavo bhavas ca Nirvanam ubhayam yadi Bhaved abhavo bhavas ca Moksas tac ca na yujyate.(If Nirvana were to be both existence and non-existence, then release (moksa) would also be both existence and non- existence. This too is not proper.)

Nirvana and Samsara12. Bhaved abhavo bhavas ca Nirvanam ubhayam yadi Nanupadaya Nirvanam Upadayobhayam hi tat(If Nirvana were to be both existence and non-existence, Nirvana could not be independent, for existence and non-existence are, indeed, dependent upon one another).

Nirvana and Samsara13. Bhaved abhavo bhavas ca Nirvanam ubhayam katham Asamskrtam ca Nirvanam Bahavabhavau ca samskrtau(How could Nirvana be both Bhava and Abhava, for Nirvana is unconditioned (Asamskrt) while bhava and abhava are conditioned?

Nirvana and Samsara14. Bhaved abhavo bhavas ca Nirvanam ubhayam katham Na tayorekastrastitvam Alokatamasoryatha (How could Nirvana be both Bhava and abhava, for their simultaneous existence in one place is not possible, as in the case of light and the darkness).In the Nirvana Bhava both at the same time cannot be.

Nirvana and Samsara15. Naivabhavo naiva bhavo Nirvanamiti yanjana Abhave caiva bhave ca Sa siddhe sati sidhyati(The proposition that Nirvana is neither Bhava and no Abhava could be established, if when bhava and abhava are established.)

Nirvana and Samsara16. Naivabhavo naiva bhavo Nirvanam yadi vidyate Naivabhavo naiva bhava Iti kena tadajyate(If Nirvana as neither bhava nor abhava is evident, by means of what is it made known as neither existence nor non-existence?)

Nirvana and Samsara17. Param Nirodad bhgavan Bhavatity eva nobhyet Na bhavati ubhayam ceti Nobhayam ceti nobyate.(It is not assumed that the Blessed one exists after death. Neither is it assumed that he does not exist, or both, or neither.)

Nirvana and Samsara18. Tisthamano pi bhagavan Bhavatityeva nobhyate Na bhavaty ubhayam ceti Nobhayam ceti nobhyate (It is not assumed that even a living Buddha exists. Neither is it assumed he does not exist, or both or neither.)

Nirvana and Samsara19. Na samsarasya nirvanat Kimcid asti visesanam Na nirvanasya samsarat Kimcid asti visesanam.(Samsara has no thing that distinguishes it from Nirvana. Nirvana has no thing that distiguishes it from the samsara)

Nirvana and Samsara20. Nirvanasya ya kotih Kotih samsarasya ca Na tayor antaram kimcit Susuksamam api vidyate(Whatever is the extremity of Nirvana and the extremity of the samsara, between them not even subtle something is evident.)

Nirvana and Samsara21. Param nirodhad antadyah Sasvatadyas ca drstayah Nirvanam aparantam ca Purvantam ca samasritah(Existence after Nirodha, (world) is finite and not finite etc. associated with the Nirvana posterior and priory extremities)

Nirvana and Samsara22. Sunyesu sarvadharmesu Kim anantam kim antavat Kim anantam antavac ca Nanantam nantavac ca kim(When all things are empty, why(Speculate on) the finite, the infinite, both the finite and infinite and neither finite and nor the infinite).

Nirvana and Samsara23. Kim tadeva kimanyadt kim Sasvatam kim asasvatam Asasvtam sasvatam ca Kim va nobhayam apy atah.(Why the same or different, why the eternal or non-eternal both or neither will be not.).

Nirvana and SamsaraHere it is rejected that in Pali it is mentioned that:1 Hoti tathagato Parammarana.2. Na hoti tathagato parammarana.3. hoti ca na hoti ca Tathagato..4. Neva hoti na na hotica tathagato paqrammarana.

Nirvana and SamsaraCatuskoti (Four cornered Logical system):In this last two slokas clearly mentioned the Catuskoti (tetralemma) Four alternative logical system to getaway from wrong views. In the 22 sloka these four corners were rejected in this manner. When all the Dharmas are sunya what we can get:

Nirvana and Samsara1.Antavat (Finite)2. Anantavat (Infinite) 3. Antavat ca Anantavat (Finite and Infinite)4. Neither Antavat, no not anantavat (No finite, no not infinte) This four cornered alternatives

Nirvana and SamsaraHas been used by the Buddha specially to show the position of Tathgatas after death. That means a person can asked this kind of four questions with regard to the death of the Tathagata. 1.Hoti Tathagato parammarana? (Whether the Tathagata exist after death?)

Nirvana and Samsara2. Na hoti Tathagato Parammarana? (Whether the Tathagata not exist after death?3. Hoti ca na hoti ca tathagato parammarana? (Whether the Tathagata exist or not exist after death?)

Nirvana and Samsara4. Neva hoti na na hoti tathagato parammarana? (Whether tathagata nither exist no not exist after death?). For these each question answer came as Tada kallam The question is irrelevant. It means these questions one cannot ask In this manner. In fact these

Nirvana and SamsaraQuestions are mentioned as Thapaniya ( must keep aside and not to talk about them). There are ten questions have been mentioned in Buddhism as Thapaniya. Those are: 1.Sassato loko?(Is world eternal? 2.Asassato loko? (Is world not eternal)

Nirvana and Samsara3. Anta va loko? (whether the world is finite?) 4. Ananta va loko? (The world is infinite)5. Tam jivam tam sariram? (Atman is same as the Body) 6. Annam jivam annam sariram? (Atman is different from the body)

Nirvana and Samsara7. Hoti tathagato parammarana? (Tathagata exist after death?)8. Na hoti Tathagato parammarana?9. Hoti ca na hoti ca Tathagato parammarana?10. Neva hoti na na hoti tathgato parammarana?

Nirvana and SamsaraThis is how the Catuskoti used at first in Buddhism. This four alternatives given the idea that these questions are completely irrelevant. But most of the scholars thought by this four alternatives the truth is taken outside of these four alternatives. And apart from these four alternatives one cannot talk.

Nirvana and SamsaraTherefore silence is the best answer. For the Thapaniya questions some of the scholars said Buddhas silence. Here the silence means the Buddha never talks on those questions merely the questions are valueless. Not that anyone cannot talk about them. But

Nirvana and SamsaraTalking is irrelevant. Arya Nagarjuna has used these catuskoti to explain his sunyata theory. In this 22 sloka also he used catuskoti. Sunyesu sarvadharmesu Kimanantam kimantavat Kimanantamantavacca Nanantam nantavacca kim

Nirvana and SamsaraArya Nagarjuna used this Four alternatives to prove sunyata.Some of them say this is the method of four negations.Actually Nagarjuna did not used these four alternaties as negations, he used to say that each alternative is wrong.

Nirvana and SamsaraIn order to prove what Madhyamakas attempt a sloka from Advayavajra Sangraha can quote.Na san, nasan, na sadasan,Na capy anubhayatmakamCatuskoti vinirmuktamTattvam madhyamaka viduh

Samsara and NirvanaIn this statement also it is said reality or real position lies not in these four alternatives. Arya Nagarjuna tried to prove non of these alternatives brings the real position.

Nirvana and Samsara24. Sarvopalambhopasamah, Prapancopasamah sivah Na kvacit kasyacit kascid Dharmo Buddhena desitah( The appeasement of all objects, the appeasement of obsessions, and the auspicious any Dharma the Buddha did not preach to any one at any place).

Nirvana and SamsaraAccording to the Buddhist literature the Buddha has preached all dharmas for theAppeasement of all objects and obsessions, But Arya Nagarjuna says such Dharma with the such characteristics of appeasement of objects have not preached by the Buddha. By these words Nagarjuna tried to say there is

Nirvana and SamsaraNo such Dharma with that nature (svabhava). That has again said by Nagarjuna in the 15th Karika 06Svabhavam parabhavam caBhavam ca abhavameva caYe pasyanti na pasyanti Te tattvam buddhasasane

Nirvana and Samsara( Those who perceive self-nature as well as other-nature,Existence as well as non-existence, they do not perceive the truth embodied in the Buddhas message).